Not that kind of Dummy

Today is the anniversary of the first appearance of Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on TV.

When I was young, my father had an LP with the best of the Chase and Sanborn radio show which I listened to until I almost wore it out. It had one segment with Charlie and young "Candy" Bergen reciting lines from "A Visit From St. Nicholas" that still makes me smile when I think about it.

Then there was the time Charley convinced Mortimer Snerd to allow himself to be shot out of a cannon. He ended up "flying with his flaps down" as I remember.

While Charley was allowed to get away with a bit more than TV and radio censors usually allowed back then, by today's standards it was all wholesome family fun.


Today is:

Day of Ancient Britain

Feast of the Fairy Godmother -- Fairy Calendar

Independence Day, Oman

National Maple Syrup Day

National Regifting Day

Saturnalia begins (through Dec. 23) -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival

for Saturn, the planter god)

St. Lazarus' Day

Underdog Day


Birthdays Today:

Milla Jovovich, 1975
Duff Goldman, 1974
Mike Mills, 1958
Bill Pullman, 1953
Wes Studi, 1947
Eugene Levy, 1946
Chris Matthews, 1945
Bob Guccione, 1930
William Safire, 1929
Arthur Fiedler, 1894


Today in History:

The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquer Rome by bribing the Byzantine garrison, 546
Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur, 1398
Pope Paul III excommunicates England's King Henry VIII, 1538
Go-Yozei becomes Emperor of Japan, 1586
Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasants led by Amakusa Shiro rise against daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu, 1637
Congregation Shearith Israel of NY purchases a lot on Mill Street in lower Manhattan, to build NY's first synagogue, 1728
France recognizes independence of English colonies in America, 1777
Aztec calendar stone discovered in Mexico City, 1790
NYC traffic regulation creates first 1-way street, 1791
Opening of the first legislative assembly of Lower Canada in Quebec city, 1792
The US state of Kentucky abolishes debtors prisons, 1821
Violent riots in Montreal, as workers demand work or bread,1875
France declares Madagascar a protectorate, 1885
George Brownell patents a machine to make paper twine, 1895
A first prize of 100,00 francs offered for communications with extraterrestrials. Martians are excluded-considered too easy, 1900
First flight of the Douglas DC-3 airplane, 1935
Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and dummy Charlie McCarthy first appear on TV, 1936